Package filling device connected to a conveyer mounted in a channeled guide



March 7, 1950 A. B. FILBERT 2,499,479

, PACKAGE FILLING DEVICE CONNECTED TO A CONVEYER MOUNTED IN A CHANNELED GUIDE Filed Dec. 25, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l WWW flfiys.

A A. B. FILBERT 2,499,479 PACKAGE FILLING DEVICE CONNECTED TO A CONVEYER March 7, 1950 MOUNTED IN A CHANNELED GUIDE 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed D60- 23, 1947 Patented Mar. 7, 1950 PACKAGE FILLING DEVICE CONNECTED TO A CONVEYER MOUNTED IN A CHANNELED GUIDE w Alvin Bernard Filbert, Balti1npre, Md. Application December 23, 1947, Serial No. 793,425 i This invention relates vice and while not intended to be specifically limited thereto is more especially intended for and useful in connection with the filling of bags or the like with oleomargarine.

An object of the invention is to provide a means for supporting and maintaining a bag or the like with the mouth thereof distended for reception of a filling portion of the intended contents of the bag.

A further object ,is to provide a means in the form of an annulus andhaving a support therefor mounted on a conveyor to be thereby automatically brought into operative relation to a filling spout for filling a bag orlike container distendablv supported by said annulus.

A further object is to provide a device in the form of asupport having mounted thereon a means for holding open the mouth of a bag or like container, and with said means either in the form of a continuous ring or a split ring but not necessarily circular in shape as the invention is applicable to circular, irregular, rectangular or other shapes.

Heretofore, in the packaging of oleomargarine and similar products, but especially oleomargarine, the product was molded or handled sim larly to the manner of handling and packaging of butter. At the present time there are available containers in the form of bags, made of plastic substances which are odorless and which can be sealed so as to permit the contents to be worked" or kneaded in the bag. For example, in the case of oleomargarine. the coloring capsule can be inserted and when the bag is sealed, the capsule can then be broken and its contents dispersed throughout the oleomargarine by kneading or working the contents in the sealed bag. With the present invention, these bags can be mounted very rapidly by an operator and the bags filled with the product in a fluent state, after which the bags can be sealed, then the contents hardened and packaged in outer wrappers.

To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan of a conveyor having a bag supporting means secured to a package filling-de- 2 Claims. (craze-s) Figure 8 is a plan view of a further modified form of bag supporting means.

thereto constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the base or lower portion of the device.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the bag supporting vmeansv removed from the base.

' Figure 6 is a plan view of a modified form of bag supporting means.

Figure '7 is a plan view of another modified form of bag supporting means.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates generally a conveyor which in the present instance is in the form of a chain conveyor and the chain is constructed in the form of a plurality of pivotally connected together plates ll having spiral loops l2 at each end thereof for pivotal engagement with spiral loops l3 of adjacent plates 14. The chain it is adapted to travel in the confronting channels of a pair of channel members I5 which include lower horizontal sides l6, vertical webs I1 and upper horizontal sides l8. In the filling of bags such as bags or containers for receiving oleomargarine or other material the bags B are adapted to be supported in an upright open position so that the liquid material may be discharged into the open mouth of the bag B from a discharge nozzle l9. The conveyor l0 may be either continuously or intermittently operated so that the material from the nozzle I9 may be discharged in a predetermined quantity within the bag B.

The bag B is adapted to rest at its lower end on a plate 20 which is secured to the chain [0 by means of a pair of downwardly extending clamping arms or fingers 2i The clamping arms or fingers 2l' are adapted to engage on diametrically opposite sides of the convolutions of the coils l2 and [3 formed between the chain links and the arms 21 are adapted to loosely engage between the confronting channel members 15 with the plate 20 slidingly engaging on the upper sides;v l8 of the channel members I5. The bag B is heldin open position by means of an annulus oriring 22 which engages within the upper end of the bag B and the ring 22 is supported above the plate 20 by means of an elongated bar 23 which is threaded as at 24 at its lower end into the plat 20. The upper end of the supporting bar 23 is reverted as indicated at 25 and the reverted end 25 is then Welded, soldered or otherwise firmly secured as at 26 to the bag distending ring 22.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is disclosed a modified form of bag supporting and distend ing means wherein the ring 27 is split as indicated at 28 so that the ring 21 may be made slightly larger than the inside dimension of the bag B and when inserted within the mouth of the bag will frictionally hold the bag in upright position. Referring now to Figure '7, there is disclosed another form of bag distending means which includes a rectangular ring or member 29. The rectangular member 29 in the present instance is formed as a square but it will be "understood that this rectangular member 29 may he or any polygonal configuration,

Referring now to Figure 8, there is disclosed a further modification of bag distending means which includes a split polygonal ring or member .In the use and operation of this invention the bag B is inserted about the supporting ring or annulus 22 preferably by initially holding the bag in the horizontal position so as to dispose the distending member 22 endwise within the open end of the bag. The bag is then swung downwardly through an arc of substantially 90 with the upper end :of the bag extending slightly above the ring or annulus 22 as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 3. With a bag supporting means as hereinbefore described the empty bags are firmly supported in an upright position so that the liquid or other material may be :discharged into the bag and after the bags have been filled by discharge of material from the discharge nozzle [9 the bags may be readily removed from the supporting member 22 and the conveyor, that is, the distending member 22 is initially inserted into the open end of the bag by disposing the fiat bag so that it lies in the plane of the distending member.

I claim:

1. In a bag filling machine having a horizontally movable conveyor and a channelled guide for the conveyor; means for supporting a bag in upright position comprising a bottom plate slidable on said guide, means securing said plate to said conveyor, a bag distending member, and means supporting said bag distending member above [and from said plate.

2. In a bag filling machine having a horizontally movable conveyor and a channelled guide for the conveyor; means for supporting a bag in upright position comprising a bottom plate slidable on said guide, depending fingers on said plate extending into said channelled guide and engaging said conveyor for moving said plate with said conveyor, an upstanding supporting bar carried by said plate adjacent the edge thereof, and a :bag distendin-g member secured to the upper end of said bar and disposed above said plate.

ALVIN BERNARD FILBEBT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references :azre aOf record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,182,187 Wagner i Dec. 5, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 390,538 Great Britain Apr. 13, 1933 

